Działdowo

Infobox Settlement
name = Działdowo


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Town view

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image_shield = POL Działdowo COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Warmian-Masurian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Działdowo County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Działdowo (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Bronisław Mazurkiewicz
established_title = Established
established_date = 14th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1344
area_total_km2 = 13.35
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 20824
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
cities based on partnership = Flag|DEU Bad Hersfeld
latd = 53 | latm = 14 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 20 | longm = 11 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 13-200
area_code = +48 23
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = NDZ
website = http://www.dzialdowo.pl

Działdowo [IPA-pl|dź|a|U|'|d|o|w|o] ( _de. Soldau) is a town in north-central Poland with 24,830 inhabitants (2006), the capital of Działdowo County. Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999), Działdowo previously belonged to Ciechanów Voivodeship (1975-1998). The town is a major railroad junction, in Dzialdowo the strategic connection from Warsaw splits into two directions - towards Gdansk and towards Olsztyn.

History

The first settlement in the vicinity was by a tribe of Old Prussians known as "Sassen" in German and "Sasinowie" in Polish. The Teutonic Knights conquered the region and built a castle named "Soldau", a wing of which still remains. Grand Master Ludolf König granted the settlement near the castle Kulm law town privileges in 1344. It was then also known in Polish as "Soldov". By 1920, the keep was stripped of all interior finishing, flooring, and stone carvings to the state of an empty shell. A major reconstruction is underway.

Within the Duchy of Prussia the settlement converted to Lutheranism during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, according to the choice of its Prince. The following communes belonged to the Evangelical parish of Soldau: Amalienhof, Borowo, Bursch, Cämmersdorf, Gajowken, Hohendorf, Kyschienen, Königshagen, Kurkau, Niederhof, Pierlawken, Pruschinowo, and Rudolfsfelde.

Within the Kingdom of Prussia and later German Empire, the settlement developed into an important Prussian Eastern Railway junction in the second half of the 19th century. At the same time Prussian authorities were hostile to local population due to its Polish pro-independence activity during November and January Uprisings in Congress Poland. During January Uprising of 1863 an ammo depot and contact point was established in secret by local peopleFact|date=May 2008 trying to help fellow Poles in their struggle against Russian Empire [ [http://www.dzialdowo.pl/?miasto.historia.1701_1871 Nasze miasto: Historia: Lata 1701 - 1871 - dzialdowo.pl ] ] . Prussian authorities arressted several locals and harassed the local population which tried to form military units to aid the Uprising [http://www.dzialdowo.pl/?miasto.historia.1871_1920 Nasze miasto: Historia: Lata 1871 - 1920 - dzialdowo.pl ] ] . The area remained Polish despite attempts of Germanisation. In 1815 79% of local population were Poles, and only 21% Germans. In 1837 74 % were Poles and 26% Germans. In the second half of XIX century 87 % of the districts population were Poles. With the increase of Germanisation effeort In 1910 the whole district population was divided among 57 % of Poles, 42 % Germans and 1% of Jews according to official German statistics. In 1910 the town itself had 4,728 inhabitants, 3,589 of them Germans [http://www.historia.terramail.pl/opracowania/nowozytna/zamek_centrum_administracji.html IBH Opracowania - Marek Przybyszewski: Zamek w Działdowie jako centrum administracyjne ziemi sasińskiej ] ] .In 1912 Germans introduced the terms "Masurs" and "Masurian language" instead of "Pole" and "Polish language" in census in the area. .

It was part of district Landkreis Neidenburg in East Prussia; it was the southernmost town in the province.

Despite attempts of both the inhabitants and authorities of Działdowo the town together with a few neighboring villages was transferred after World War I by the Treaty of Versailles from Weimar Germany to the Second Polish Republic on January 17, 1920 without plebiscite as the area provided the Prussian Eastern Railway connection between Warsaw and Danzig (Gdańsk). An offer by the Germans to build a new railroad if the town could join the plebiscite was rejected by Poland. . The rail connections to towns in Germany such as Deutsch Eylau, Osterode, and Neidenburg in East Prussia were broken after the border changes. After the town was ceded to Poland, a large part of German inhabitants left the area. The candidate of the German Party, Ernst Barczewski, was elected to the Sejm with 74,6 % of votes in 1920 [Andreas Kossert, Masuren Ostpreussens vergessener Süden, 2006, p.284] and in 1928 to the Polish Senate with 34,6 % of votes for the Bloc of National Minorities [Andreas Kossert, Masuren Ostpreussens vergessener Süden, 2006, p.284] . In 1921, the Polish census gave the following data regarding ethnic composition of the whole district Poles: 15496, Germans: 8187, others 44.

During the Polish-Soviet War, Działdowo was briefly occupied by the Red Army before being recovered by the Polish Army.

After the invasion of Poland beginning World War II in 1939, the town was annexed by Nazi Germany back into Neidenburg District. German minority in the town formed Selbstschutz formations that captured and tortured Polish leaders and political and cultural elites, before murdering them [ [http://www.dzialdowo.pl/?miasto.historia.1939_1945 Nasze miasto: Historia: Lata 1939 - 1945 - dzialdowo.pl ] ] .The Soldau concentration camp was built nearby, at which 13,000 out of 30,000 prisoners were murdered. Działdowo was heavily damaged during fighting on the Eastern Front. The destroyed town was restored to Poland after the war. German-speakers remaining in the town were subsequently expelled westward after the war ended.

Notable residents

*Kasia Stankiewicz (born 1977), singer

References

* Andreas Kossert [http://dhi.waw.pl/cms/dhi-warschau/personal/wissenschaftliche-mitarbeiter/dr-andreas-kossert.html] , "Masuren -Ostpreussens vergessener Süden", 2006, p.284

External links

* [http://www.dzialdowo.pl/ Official town webpage] pl icon